Midland Football Alliance
Crown Meadow, Bridgnorth
Saturday, 29th October 2011, 3.00pm
Gresley Fight Back To Grab A Point
Things didn't look good as Gresley went in at the interval with a two goal deficit. However, two quick goals on the hour mark from Michael Nottingham and Rob Spencer handed the visitors a much deserved share of the spoils.
Three changes were made to the Gresley starting line-up from last Saturday with Matt Hill taking the right back slot with Royce Turville and Dean Oliver leading the front line.
Gresley found themselves behind after just 6 minutes in somewhat dubious circumstances. A corner was swung in from the left by Jason Pike and as keeper Gary Hateley went to collect the high ball he was bundled to the ground by a home player and as he fell backwards at the far post the ball floated into the net by the far post.
The visiting supporters and Gresley players were incensed but despite their protests the referee Mr Keady unbelievably allowed the goal.
Spencer then headed over the bar as Gresley looked to come back and from a James Jepson free kick Nottingham soared above his markers but his header was comfortably dealt with by home keeper Chris Crook.
On 31 minutes Bridgnorth doubled the score. As they were preparing to take a corner Hateley was being fouled by a Town player and the referee warned the keeper. Then as the corner came in again Hateley had the player in front of him treading on his toes and the keeper pushed the player away only for the referee to point to the spot instead of giving Gresley the free kick. Pike took the kick sending Hateley the wrong way for a totally undeserved two goal lead.
Gresley was finding it difficult to deal with the not inconsiderable slope and very bobbly surface but Nottingham managed to test the keeper with another header which was straight into his midriff.
The second half was virtually all one-way traffic as Town hardly crossed their own half way line. Olive went close to reducing the deficit with a snap shot on the turn from just outside the area that flew agonisingly wide of the far post.
Marc Goodfellow cracked a volley over the bar and then Jepson's free kick seemed on its way to goal before taking a deflection for a corner and it was from this set piece that Gresley chalked a goal off on 62 minutes. The corner from the left was swung in and Nottingham was on hand to ram the ball home for his first goal for Gresley.
A minute later the visitors were level. Spencer was sent racing into the area and beat the advancing Crook to knock the ball into the net. Crook could consider himself extremely lucky to have stayed on the pitch as he went through Spencer but only received a yellow card.
For the final fifteen minutes there looked to be only one winner as Gresley piled on the pressure looking for that elusive match winning goal.
Jordi Gough went close with a chip that narrowly cleared the bar. Jepson's throw-in was flicked on by Nottingham to Spencer whose header had Crook juggling with the ball before hold on to it. Two minutes into time added on Gresley almost claimed the winner when Gough hooked the ball from the 'D' but Nottingham stretching out a leg could only steer the ball over the bar.
Manager's View
Martin Rowe
"I think the man in black made a few mistakes today but we all make mistakes in football. I felt in the second half we had enough chances to have won the game.
"I felt they didn't have a shot in the whole ninety minutes as we defended really well today and Michael Nottingham was my man-of-the-match today.
"It was a good game on a difficult pitch. It's not the best of places to come as there is a good slope, it's even worse than our slope! I thought we did really well today.
"I thought the first goal was a foul on Gary Hateley. Why was my goalkeeper in the back of the net? Gary says he was pushed by two of their players and it looked like that from where I was standing but the referee looked a bit of a homer and after that we knew what he was going to be like. The second goal, their number eight stood on Gary's toes and was leaning back into him and Gary pushed him out of the way and unfortunately the referee gave a penalty which was a bit harsh but I think he was looking to give them something.
"I would have been happy with a point today but seeing how we played today I think we've been robbed today. We've gained a point bit it could have been worse. We've shown a lot of spirit today and I think that if we show that sort of spirit from now until the end of the season we're in with a shout.
"We've been criticised a lot for our away performances but today we got it right and we've got to make sure we do that in every game we play away. When we play at home we play with a bit more freedom because the supporters like to see attacking football and that's what we do but, when we play away we have to play a bit differently and we got that right today."
